The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-09-06
HE SAVED THE BANK.
a Brave Boys Battle With Bur-
glars.

MANI" repeated Daniel McShane, As
he took the pipe from his mouth and
slowly blew the smoke away. well.
sir, I've put in over thirty years at it. "
But YOU are not more than forty
now?"
..Forty-one. sir, and began the bus
mess when was ten years old
ssThat was "A tender age. and there
must be story connected with your
debut.
fright you are. sir, and if you have
half an hour to spare well have pot
of beer together and I'll tell you the
yarn. When / was a kid of eight nay
father was made night Waterman OF
the old Traders Bank "f Philadelphia.
Every thing was very primitive then.
as you NAV remember. There were
bad men about. but there was no need
of burglar-proof safes and time locks
to battle them. Banks were then run
about the same ~ stores. The Trad
ers' opened at eight in the morning
and closed at five ina the afternoon. and
the last official did not leave until
seven, at which time my father went
on duty. He WAS Oh from that hour
until seven in the morning, but was
not supposed to he awake all the time.
He had a cot bed In the office, and
many night he slept III night without
once opening his eyes. although he
was supposed to sleep 80 lightly that
every noise would arouse him. He
was provided with club and a shot
gun, and there was no fear of his hon
esty or courage.
Things went on very quietly for q
couple of wears, and | was then EN-
ployed as a sort of messenger boy by 4
restaurant snan who kept his place
open all night. If drunken man
came in. which was nightly occur
renee, OF a loafer sought To jump his
bill, which was often the case. made
a run of two blocks to the police sta
ton for an officer In this way and by
acting as a waiter at one of the tables
] earned a small weekly salary and in
the bargain it was agreed that should
carry nv father a lunch every night at
midnight. Thi, consisted of pail OF
hot coffee. a sandwich and piece OF
pic. / Twas always off at the stroke OF
twelve, took walk Of two squares, and
father was generally at the dOor-wait'
ing for me.
You will readily see. sir, that the
circumstances furnished a sharp man
the opportunity t" do big stroke OF
work, but il was two wears before they
were taken advantage of. Then :
couple of crooks. one of whom was
from England. set up the racket. Fol-
several nights | was followed from tn,
restaurant TO the bank and back. L
was known why | made the trip. how
father received me and how long | re
manned inside. My time in the banl
was about quarter of an hour. anC
father let me out and some times Stoo,
at the door and watched me down &
the corner Well. as it turned out. tn
crooks put it up TO get into the bank q
i came out, or just after L had gone
They had timed the officer on that beat
and at half-past twelve he was invaria
bly, at the other end Of his beat. fiv
squares away. The police business a
that time was run in a haphazard way
and an officer could sit and sleep in
doorway or patrol his beat, IL he wa
inclined: 1t was pretty good man o
that beat. but he was slow walker an
fond of his pipe. As his smoking wa
mostly done at the other end of hi
beat, he was certain TO take his tim
about coming back.
Ibid / have my suspicious? die
sir Begging your pardon for VIII;
seems like Boosting. but | was a
counted very sharp boy at that ag
and I think | realized fathers respol
sibilities more than he did himself.
was always giving him word of ca
ton, and the very first time was 70